Like Yasar Arafat, the political parties in Nepal NEVER missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. There were poor, defenceless, helpless, widowed in Dailekh and other places in rural Nepal who rose against the Maoists. But these women received NO support, NO solidarity and no words of comfort from the political parties who were busy with their own shenanigans. Girija had the gall to have Govinda Raj Joshi lead one of the marches in Ratna Park. 11,000 Nepalis -- most of them poor and downtrodden; therefore not related to MOST Sajha visitors -- have died in the war against the Maoists. Yet the political parties could muster neither effective political courage nor sustained moral outrage to take the Army and the Maoists to task. They only raised ruckus for a day or two when one of their own karya-kartas was killed. Else, it was business as usual for them. Samyukta Jana Morcha, the ideological cousins of the Maoists, woke up to the Maoist atrocities late in the game when they realized that Maoists meant business in terms of literally making others shed blood. It's fair to say that Nepal needs political parties BUT not these netas. Let Girija and Makune and others accept blame for creating conditions for the King to make his move and let them then RETIRE forever from politics. They are an embarrasment to most young Nepalis under the age of 40 (who make up more than 80 per cent of the population!) Let there be NEW and FRESH leadership in these and other political parties. Somehow, having closely observed the sheer abuse of power by Girija and Makune and others and their then confidence that they could get away with all their excesses -- does NOT make me -- a mere citizen -- all that excited to fight for these netas who are past their "sell by" dates. oohi ashu